A Candy of Crafts
by Novalia1001
Summary: In was a subtle occurrence really, Piper's new addiction to gum, but Aerrow began to worry. What if it was something more than that?


Aerrow was a Sky Knight. When he was on his skimmer, he had to have perfect balance as he traded places with Radarr. When he was cruising in the skies, he had to be aware of not only left and right, but up and down; he had to think in three dimensions. In the sky, there was no horizon. You had to be observant. You had to keep your eyes and ears open.

Therefore, he was among the first to notice Piper's new addiction to chewing gum.

It was a subtle thing really, probably as routine as when Junko ducked into the boiler room or Finn ducked into the fridge, while she was working at her crystals, or charting the maps, or debating navigation with Stork, she was chewing. An odd revelation to Aerrow, but he didn't bother question it.

Until, that is, his curiosity got the better of him.

The cartographer turned on her heel at his question, frowning as she worked her gum. Then she put a forefinger to her chin and said at last, "I don't know. I guess it just…started."

"Habits starting out of nowhere?" he was smiling, but supposing there was something off that Piper wasn't revealing to anyone, that she unknowingly displayed through her sudden affinity for gum?

She laughed, "I guess so," and she left the bridge.

Later he heard Junko and Finn by the radio listening to the third season of the Nimbus Nimrods against the Perilous Plains. They shouted out in chorus just as the commentator described a member getting kicked out of the game and a point falling to the Plains. He laughed gently as they began a heated discussion.

In Stork's quarters, things were always silent. No-one really saw in there—although everyone thought that Aerrow did, he had only seen a glance and it wasn't anything to talk about. Stork's head and poked in an out in a timeless moment. For the moment, the Merb was on the bridge indulging in the silence for once, deep in his ethereal and oppressing poetry books. Radarr often times walked off on his own, searching the ships for rats or mice to pick a fight with if not make a meal out of, and the ventilation shafts were a popular spot.

At that very moment, he heard echoes of a scuffle and paused before continuing down the hall. Then there was Piper as the grand finale, in her room working on one of her self-appointed projects again, and he didn't bother disturb her. All in all, everyone was doing their—who was in the kitchen?

He paused, did a double take. She was rummaging through the fridge frantically as though she had lost a valuable crystal (or Finn had secretly borrowed one). It was a full minute of scavenging the kitchen until she noticed the Sky Knight at the doorway, arms crossed, leaning on the wall, face amused.

Her posture changed, revealing insecurity and mild humility. She gave a small smile, "Hi, Aerrow."

"Looking for something?" he grinned.

"Just my…uh…gum," she admitted, turning back to the fridge and opening again as of willing it to appear. "I could have sworn that I put it here."

"You know, on a ship full of hungry crew who will practically eat anything—besides moving tentacles and Merb cabbage"—she laughed softly—"there's bound to be someone who's going to notice gum and take the last of it."

She sighed, leaning her back against the counter. "I know. I guess I should have thought about it before I…"she trailed off, amber gaze set on him. If she had been trained as he was, she probably would have noticed it sooner but her mild state of panic had frazzled her senses.

Aerrow was chewing her gum.

She glowered and he smirked. "What?" he was close to laughing at her.

"Of all the people…!" She paused, took a deep breath, but then continued in the same tone: "_Aerrow_? You took the last of my gum?"

He shrugged, "Sorry, I had assumed you had more."

She pouted. "I don't…" her eyes fell to the ground as she exhaled the last remnants of her outburst and she noticed him walk over to her through her peripheral vision.

"Do you want it back?"

She scoffed. "Um…ew?"

But it wasn't "ew" at all when he kissed her. Without so much as a smirk, wink or gesture, he turned and walked out of the kitchen, nodding to Finn who had been passing by. "Hey, Finn."

"Why are _you_ so cheery, huh?" the sharpshooter snapped back, "The Nimbus Nimrods lost the game! All for a little fight!"

Aerrow had only laughed. When Finn entered the kitchen, he was alarmed to see Piper—well, yes, of _course_ it was _Piper_—but she was acting, for lack of a better word, strangely. Leaning on the kitchen counter her florid face was in one palm and she was staring through the window.

Finn walked around to face her. "Uh…Piper? You okay?"

She smiled, chewing her gum. In a low voice she replied, "Marvelous."


End file.
